1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of processing a substrate that is performed under a hermetically sealed atmosphere, a method of manufacturing an electron source that is similarly performed under the hermetically sealed atmosphere and an apparatus for manufacturing an electron source.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, as an electron-emitting device, there are generally known two types, namely a thermoelectron-emitting device and a cold-cathode electron-emitting device. The cold-cathode electron-emitting device includes a field-emission electron-emitting device, a metal/insulator/metal electron-emitting device, a surface conduction electron-emitting device and the like.
The surface conduction electron-emitting device utilizes the phenomenon in which electron emission is caused by allowing an electric current to flow in a thin film formed with a small area on a substrate and in parallel to the film surface. Its basic structure and manufacturing method are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 7-235255, 8-171849 and the like.
The surface conduction electron-emitting device is characterized by including on a substrate a pair of device electrodes opposing each other and a conductor (electroconductive film) that is connected to the pair of device electrodes and has an electron-emitting region in a part of it. A fissure is formed in a part of the electroconductive film. In addition, a deposited film containing at least one of carbon and carbon compound as a main component is formed at the end of the fissure.
A plurality of such electron-emitting devices are arranged on a substrate and each electron-emitting device is connected by a wiring, whereby an electron source provided with a plurality of surface conduction electron-emitting devices can be manufactured.
In addition, a display panel of an image-display apparatus can be manufactured by combining the above-described electron source with a phosphor.
Conventionally, such a panel of an electron source is manufactured in the following manner. That is, as a first manufacturing method, first, an electron source substrate is manufactured on which a plurality of devices, which consist of an electroconductive film and a pair of device electrodes connected to the electroconductive film, and a wiring connecting the plurality of devices are formed. Next, the entirety of the manufactured electron source substrate is installed in a vacuum chamber. Then, after evacuating the inside of the vacuum chamber, a voltage is applied to the above-described each device through an external terminal to form a fissure in the electroconductive film of each device. Moreover, a gas containing an organic material is introduced into the vacuum chamber and a voltage is applied to the above-described each device again through the external terminal under an atmosphere in which the organic material exists, whereby carbon or carbon compound is caused to deposit in the vicinity of the fissure.
In addition, as a second manufacturing method, first, an electron source substrate is manufactured on which a plurality of devices, which consist of an electroconductive film and a pair of device electrodes connected to the electroconductive film, and a wiring connecting the plurality of devices are formed. Next, the manufactured electron source substrate and a substrate on which a phosphor is disposed are joined together while sandwiching a support frame between them to manufacture a panel of an image-forming apparatus. Thereafter, the inside of the panel is evacuated through an exhaust pipe of the panel and a voltage is applied to the above-described each device through an external terminal of the panel to form a fissure in an electroconductive film of each device. Moreover, a gas containing an organic material is introduced into the panel through the exhaust pipe and a voltage is applied to the above-described each device again through the external terminal under an atmosphere in which the organic material exists, whereby carbon or carbon compound is caused to deposit in the vicinity of the fissure.
The above-described manufacturing methods have been employed in manufacturing a panel of an electron source. However, the first manufacturing method particularly requires a large-size vacuum chamber and an exhaust apparatus coping with high vacuum as the electron source substrate is made larger. In addition, the second manufacturing method requires long time for the evacuation of the space in the panel of the image-forming apparatus and the introduction of the gas containing the organic material into the space in the panel.